Self-tracking toy vehicle



June 15, 1965 w. NYC 3,188,770

SELF-TRACKING TOY VEHICLE Filed Dec. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 drrae/v y June 15, 1965 w. NYC

SELF-TRACKING TOY VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3, 1962 AFTQQA/EV United States Patent Ofiice 3,188,77fi Patented June 15, 1965 3,188,779 SELF-TRACKING TUY VEHIQLE Wladimir Nyc, 3125 U St., Sacramento 17, Calif. Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 241,656 Claims. (Cl. 46-243) The invention relates to toy vehicles of the track type and, more particularly, to toy vehicles which follow a predetermined path owing to the effects of gravity.

It is an object of the invention to provide a toy vehicle which maintains a path dependent upon the selected course of a substantially triangular-in-section toy track.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toy vehicle whose mean course is maintained along a preselected route as a result of the influence of gravity.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a self-tracking toy vehicle which, in effect, feeds back to the vehicles steering wheels, as a result of gravity, a course-centering impulse.

It is still another object to provide a self-tracking toy Vehicle which does not require guide rails or fences.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a generally improved toy tracking vehicle.

. Other objects, together with the foregoing, are attained in the embodiment described in the following description and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the toy vehicle with the weight elements in central position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 33 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing the toy vehicle on a curved portion of the track; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view; the plane of the section being indicated by the line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

While the toy vehicle device of the invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending .upon the environment and demands of use, substantial numbers of the herein shown and described embodiment have been made, tested and used, and all have performed in a totally satisfactory manner.

The device of the invention, generally characterized by the reference numeral 12, comprises an elongated, preferably rectangular and planar framework 13, or chassis, having mounted thereon a small electric motor 14 which serves to drive a pair of rear wheels 16 through an appropriate drive gear 17 and driven gear 18 (see FIG. 1). I A switch 21 of conventional type, serves to activate, or deactivate, the motor 14, the switch 21 being angularly movable between the vertical off position shown in FIG. 2 and an inclined or on position wherein the motor circuit is closed.

Serving to energize the electric motor, when the switch is in on position, is a suitable energy source such as a pair of electric dry-cells 26 connected, by appropriate conductors 27, through the switch 21, to the motor 14.

In other words, so long as the switch 21, is in on position, the rear wheels 16 are driven, thus causing the toy vehicle to move forwardly.

Guidance of the vehicle along a predetermined path is effected by the force of gravity acting upon a weight member, which in turn actuates a steering linkage.

The toy vehicle device of the invention includes a track, generally designated by the reference numeral 31, the track including a planar base portion 32 adapted to be supported on the floor, and a pair of inclined legs 33 terminating in an arcuately formed apex 34. Conveniently, as appears in fragmentary fashion in FIG. 4, the track 31 is curvilinear and is preferably endless so that the vehicle can travel continuously, if desired.

Although not shown, for purposes of clarity, the toy vehicle would also ordinarily include a vehicle body mounted on the chassis 13 and covering the various operative components in the interests of realism. The forward end of the body (not shown) supports a rigid forward transverse member 36 coplanar with the chassis or framework 13.

A fore and aft trunnion shaft 41 is mounted on the forward end of the chassis 13 and the after portion of the transverse member 36, the trunnion shaft 41 lying on the longitudinal, or fore and aft axis, of the elongated vehicle chassis.

Journaled on the trunnion shaft 41 is a transversely disposed planar truck member 43 having rotatably mount ed on each of the lateral ends thereof a clevis 44 (see FIG. 3) adapted to pivot about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the truck member 43.

Projecting outwardly from each clevis is an axle 46 having a wheel 47 rotatably mounted thereon.

Steering of the front wheels 47 is effected by lateral angular movement of the electric cells 26, which serve as a weight, the cells 26 being lodged in a case 51 from which forwardly projects a pivot arm 52. The forward end of the pivot arm 52 is turned downwardly to form a pivot pin 53, the pin 53 being pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end of the truck member 43.

In rolling contact with the after portion of the truck member 43 is a roller 56 journaled on the pivot arm 52, the roller 56 serving to support the weight of the battery 26 and to impose this weight upon the truck member 43.

As appears most clearly in FIG. 1, when the truck member is horizontal, the pivot arm 52 is aligned in a fore and aft direction, and the roller 56 is centrally located with respect to the fore and aft trunnion shaft 41, with the result that there is no tendency for the roller 56 to roll laterally.

When, however, the truck member is cocked, or tilted, as appears most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, the roller 56 rolls toward the low side under the influence of gravity acting on the weighted battery case 51 and causing the pivot arm 52 to swing, as shown.

As the pivot arm 52 moves, an upright pin 61 mounted on a transverse tie rod 62 is urged toward the low side. As appears in FIGS. 1 and 4, a second or companion pin 61 is mounted on the tie rod on the opposite side of the pivot arm 52 so that angular movement of the pivot arm 52 in either lateral direction will be imparted to the tie rod 62.

Transverse movement of the tie rod 62 is, in turn transmitted to a generally fore and aft link 66 mounted on each clevis 44, the link 66 extending rearwardly and being pivotally mounted as at 67 on the corresponding end of the tie rod 62.

As a result of the foregoing linkage arrangement, it can be seen that movement of the tie rod 62 in the direction shown in FIG. 4 causes the clevises 66 to rotate and the front wheels 47 to turn toward the apex 34 of the triangular-inasection track 31 and to guide the vehicle toward the crestline 71 of the track.

In operation, the toy vehicle is initially placed with the opposite wheels straddling equally the crest of the track and the front wheels aligned in a fore and aft direct-ion generally tangent with the crest-line. The switch is then turned on and the vehicle starts moving along the track.

Curvature of the track, in the case of a curvilinear track, or track irregularities, soon cause the front wheels to steer away from the crest-line and toward a lateral, downhill direction. -As this occurs, one of the wheels (see FIG. 5) becomes lower whereas the other wheel, in moving upwardly toward the crest-line, becomes higher.

As this difference in elevation is produced, the truck member 43 is inclined, as is the pivot pin 53. Concurrently, the roller 56, the battery weights and the pivot,

arm 52 swing away from their original fore and aft' orientation, causing the tie rod 62, the clevises 44 and the front wheel 47 to move in a direction such as to oppose the initiating impulse and to swing'the front end i of the vehicle back toward the crest-line.

Ordinarily, upon approaching an equally straddling over-compensation, with attendant oscillation or builting. 7 V l Even in curvature, in which situation the feed-back requires a continuous uphill steering by'the front wheels, the 'corrective eflort i achieved with but an imperc'eptible'amount of oscillation inthe heading of the vehicle.

Whatisclaimedisz. I i p 1. A self-guiding toy 'vehicleldevice comprising;.

)(a) an endless substantially triangular-in-section track, 7

said section terminating in an arcuate central apex;

(b) an elongated frame; H s

the case of a track having a sort radiu's'of' the * 1 (e) a transverse truck member mounted on said trun-j 1 nion for angular movement with respect to said.

frame about a fore and aft axis coinciding with the 1 axis of said trunnion; I (f)v a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted on the transverse ends of said truck member for simultane ous movement aboutlboth a substantially horizontal transverse axis and a substantially vertical axis; and

(g) gravitationally actuated means movably supported 1 on said truck and being responsive .to said angular movement of said truck about said fore and aft axis for steering said front wheels toward. said apex as said gravitationally actuated means is gravita J tionally tilted away from said fore and aft axis.f 2. Atoy vehicle for use on an elongatedtrack having a generally triangular cross sectioniincluding an apex' and apair of downwardly and 'laterallylinclined sides, said a 1 vehicle comprising: 7 (a) a frame having engaging wheels,

(d) a pair of steering wheels rotatably mountedon the lateral ends of said truck and supporting said truck,

i said wheels being laterally angularly movablein its after end supported on track V r5" (b) a propelling member on said frame *for driving I unison with said truck about said fore-and aft axis 5 (e) a gravitationally responsive member pivotally mounted and supported on said truck for lateral movement toward and away fromsaid fore and .aft

axis in response to the lateral angular movement of said truck and said steering wheels with respect to p in conjunction therewith; and a roller member on said 7 connecting member and supportedoon said truck to partake of said lateral angular movement thereof as said steering wheels laterally incline' in dependence upon the position of Said ,stecring wheels on said track.

a (d) a truck member pivotally mounted on a horizontal fore and aft trunnion on the forward end'of said frame;

(e) a'steering linkage including a pair of clevises rotatably mountedon the lateral ends of said truck member for rotation of said clevises about a substantially vertical axis, said clevises having said front wheels rotatably mounted thereon, said linkage further including a transverse tie rod pivotally secured to'said clevises for simultaneous and equal angular movement there'ofi, i r

' (f) a gravitationally responsive member including a fore and aft rod having a forwardportion downward- "ly turned and rotatably mounted on said truck lmember for angular. swinging movement of said rod in a substantially horizontal plane, the after end of said rod having said battery secured thereto as aweight, :said fore and aftrod. being swingably connected to said transverse tie rod whereby lateral swinging'movement of said weight and said fore and aft rod produces a transverse movement of said linkage and angular motion "of said clevises and said i front wheels.

a 5. Atoy vehicle comprising:

(a) a generally horizontal. frame, said frame being elongated in'a fore andaftdirection; I v (b) a truck pivotally mounted adjacent the forward end of said frame for lateral'tilting movement about t a central, generally horizontal, fore and aft axis; (c) clevis means rotatably mounted on'thelateralends of said truck for rotation about a generally vertical axis; 7 a l (d) steering wheel rotatably mounted on said clevis means on said lateral ends of saidtruck for rotation about a transverse, generally horizontal axis, said wheelsrbeing 'capable of partaking ,of the lateral tilting movement, of said truckv about said central,

generally horizontal, fore and aft axis and being capable. of'partaking of'the rotational movement of I said clevis means about said generally vertical axis;

(e): a 'gravitatio'nally actuated membensupported on said truck and being movable therewith; and

(f) meansconnecting said clevis means and said gravifor angularly rotating said clevis' means and'said steering wheels about: said generally vertical axis 7 concurrentlyjwith a lateral tilting movement of said ftruclg the direction of angular rotation of said clevis means'b'eing such a to head'the lower of said wheels in adirection generally toward the forward extension of said central, generally horizontal, fore and aft axis. i

I, 'Referencesicited by the Examiner V v UN ITEDfSTATES -PATENTS r 2,946,153 7/60 Ernst 46-202 FOREIGN PATENTS 632,339 11 49 Great Britain.

RICHARD c; PrNKnAM, mam Examiners tationally actuated member supported on said truck, 

2. A TOY VEHICLE FOR USE ON AN ELONGATED TRACK HAVING A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR CROSS SECTION INCLUDING AN APEX AND A PAIR OF DOWNWARDLY AND LATERALLY INCLINED SIDES, SAID VEHICLE COMPRISING: (A) A FRAME HAVING ITS AFTER END SUPPORTED ON TRACK ENGAGING WHEELS, (B) A PROPELLING MEMBER ON SAID FRAME FOR DRIVING SAID WHEELS; (C) A TRUCK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE FORWARD END OF SAID FRAME FOR LATERLLY INCLINED MOVEMENT ABOUT A FORE AND AFT AXIS; (D) A PAIR OF STEERING WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE LATERAL ENDS OF SAID TRUCK AND SUPPORTING SAID TRUCK, SAID WHEELS BEING LATERALLY ANGULARLY MOVABLE IN UNISON WITH SAID TRUCK ABOUT SAID FORE AND AFT AXIS; (E) A GRAVITATIONALLY RESPONSIVE MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AND SUPPORTED ON SAID TRUCK FOR LATERAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FORE AND AFT AXIS IN RESPONSE TO THE LATERAL ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SAID TRUCK AND SAID STEERING WHEELS WITH RESPECT TO SAID FORE AND AFT AXIS; AND (F) MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID GRAVITATIONALLY RESPONSIVE MEMBER AND SAID STEERING WHEELS FOR TURNING SAID STEERING WHEELS IN A DIRECTION OPPOSED TO THE DOWNWARD LATERAL INCLINATION OF SAID TRUCK WHEREBY SAID FORWARD END OF SAID FRAME IS GUIDED TOWARD SAID APEX OF SAID TRACK. 